Abstract (from Social Science Research Network):
“With over a dozen bills pending in both the U.S. and E.U. to “solve” the privacy crisis, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and ask some fundamental questions about information management in the age of big data. Why does “private” information evoke visceral policy responses? Is there a rational model for evaluating information exchange and value? Is intellectual property law the model to apply to personal information, or would licensing work better? This paper, part of the Cato Institute’s Policy Analysis series, traces the historical origins of the “creepy factor” as a conflict between America’s Puritan and frontier origins. It rejects the IP model for personal information and recommends instead a licensing approach — which is largely in place today” (Larry Downes, 2013)
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